A grant is a type of financial aid that does not require repayment. John Tyler Community College participates in several need-based federal- and state-funded grant programs. Students who have completed a bachelor’s degree are not eligible to receive any of the types of aid below.

The following need-based grant programs are available at John Tyler:

• Federal Pell Grant: The Federal Pell Grant is an award for undergraduates only with no prior bachelor's or professional degree. Eligibility is primarily based on the Expected Family Contribution (EFC) from your Student Aid Report (SAR), but is also affected by enrollment status. The EFC must be 4617 or less. The maximum award for the 2009-2010 academic year is $5,350, with a minimum of $976. A minimum of 12 credit hours each semester is required to receive full eligibility, with pro-rated awards going to students with less than 12 hours.


• FSEOG (Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grant): FSEOG is for undergraduate Federal Pell Grant recipients with exceptional financial need (i.e., students with the lowest EFCs). Students may receive up to $2,000 a year depending on eligibility and funding level.


• ACG (Academic Competitiveness Grant): The Academic Competitiveness Grant is a new federal program that began with the 2006/2007 aid year. In order to be eligible, a student must be Pell eligible, a U.S. citizen, have completed a rigorous high school program of study after January 1, 2006 if a first-year student or have completed a rigorous high school program of study after January 1, 2005 if a second year student, and register for a half-time course load (6 or more credits) in a degree-seeking program. If a first-year undergraduate student, the student must not have been previously enrolled in a program of undergraduate education, unless it was part of a secondary school program. A first-year student may receive up to $750 per academic year. A second-year student may receive up to $1,300 per academic year. Second-year students must also have attained at least a 3.0 cumulative grade point average in their first year of undergraduate education.


• CSAP (College Scholarship Assistance Program): CSAP is a state-funded grant which provides assistance to undergraduate Virginia residents to a maximum of $1,000 an academic year. A minimum of 6 credit hours is required each semester in order to receive CSAP.


• COMA (Commonwealth Grant): COMA is a state-funded grant that provides assistance to undergraduate Virginia residents to a maximum of tuition and fees per academic year. A minimum of 6 credit hours is required each semester in order to receive COMA.


• VGAP (Virginia Guaranteed Assistance Program): VGAP awards range from $500 up to tuition, fees and books available to undergraduate Virginia residents who graduated from high school with at least a 2.5 grade point average. VGAP also has specific renewal requirements:
• Completion of a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and continued demonstration of financial need
• Continued enrollment in a program leading to a degree
• Continued domiciliary residency in Virginia
• Academic achievement of at least 2.0 cumulative grade point average
• Maintain full-time status (at least 12 hours) each semester of the academic year
• Maintain continuous enrollment (not counting summer sessions)
• Remain a dependent student according to current federal regulations.


• PTAP (Part-time Tuition Assistance Program): PTAP is a state-funded grant, which provides assistance to undergraduate Virginia residents to a maximum of tuition and fees per academic year. A minimum of 1 credit hour and a maximum of 8 credit hours are required each semester in order to receive PTAP.


• HETAP (Higher Education Teacher Assistance Program): HETAP is a federally funded grant which provides assistance to undergraduate Virginia residents enrolled full-time in an eligible K-12 teacher preparation program to a maximum of $1,000 an academic year.


• VCCS Tuition Grant: The VCCS Tuition Grant is a state-funded grant that provides assistance to undergraduate Virginia residents to a maximum of tuition and fees per academic year. A minimum of 1 credit hour and a maximum of 8 credit hours are required each semester, in order to receive a VCCS Tuition Grant.

When you complete your FAFSA, you will be considered for these grant programs.  The  award letter you receive via e-mail from the Financial Aid Office after completing your FAFSA and all additional information list grants you are eligible to receive.  

To better understand state and federal aid grant and loan programs, take a look at the state and federal aid programs chart.